[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
[May 26, 2005]
[Pages 880-886]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



 The President's News Conference With President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority
 May 26, 2005

     President Bush.  Thank you. Mr. President, it is my honor to 
welcome the democratically elected leader of the Palestinian people to 
the White House.
     We meet at a time when a great achievement of history is within 
reach, the creation of a peaceful, democratic Palestinian state. 
President Abbas is seeking that goal by rejecting violence and working 
for democratic reform. I believe the Palestinian people are fully 
capable of justly governing themselves in peace with their neighbors. I 
believe the interests of the Israeli people would be served by a 
peaceful Palestinian state. And I believe that now is the time for all 
parties of this conflict to move beyond old grievances and act 
forcefully in the cause of peace.
     President Abbas's election 4 months ago was a tribute to the power 
and appeal of democracy and an inspiration to the people across the 
region. Palestinians voted against violence and for sovereignty, because 
only the defeat of violence will lead to sovereignty.
     Mr. President, the United States and the international community 
applaud your rejection of terrorism. All who engage in terror are the 
enemies of a Palestinian state and must be held to account. We will 
stand with you, Mr. President, as you combat corruption, reform the 
Palestinian security services and your justice system, and revive your 
economy. Mr. President, you have made a new start on a difficult journey 
requiring courage and leadership each day, and we will take that journey 
together.
     As we work for peace, other countries must step up to their 
responsibilities. Arab States must take concrete measures to create a 
regional environment conducive to peace. They must offer financial 
assistance to support the peaceful efforts of President Abbas, his 
Government, and the Palestinian people. And they must refuse to assist 
or harbor terrorists.
     Israel must continue to take steps toward a peaceful future and 
work with the Palestinian leadership to improve the daily lives of 
Palestinians, especially their humanitarian situation. Israel should not 
undertake

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any activity that contravenes roadmap obligations or prejudice final 
status negotiations with regard to Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.
     Therefore, Israel must remove unauthorized outposts and stop 
settlement expansion. The barrier being erected by Israel as a part of 
its security effort must be a security, rather than political, barrier. 
And its route should take into account, consistent with security needs, 
its impact on Palestinians not engaged in terrorist activities. As we 
make progress toward security and in accordance with the roadmap, 
Israeli forces should withdraw to their positions on September the 28th, 
2000.
     Any final status agreement must be reached between the two parties, 
and changes to the 1949 Armistice Lines must be mutually agreed to. A 
viable two-state solution must ensure contiguity on the West Bank, and a 
state of scattered territories will not work. There must also be 
meaningful linkages between the West Bank and Gaza. This is the position 
of the United States today; it will be the position of the United States 
at the time of final status negotiations.
     The imminent Israeli disengagement from Gaza, parts of the West 
Bank, presents an opportunity to lay the groundwork for a return to the 
roadmap. All parties have a responsibility to make this hopeful moment 
in the region a new and peaceful beginning. That is why I assigned 
General Kip Ward, who is with us 
today, to support your efforts, Mr. President, to reform the Palestinian 
security services and to coordinate the efforts of the international 
community to make that crucial task a success. The United States also 
strongly supports the mission of the Quartet's special envoy, Jim 
Wolfensohn, to make sure that the Gaza 
disengagement brings Palestinians a better life.
     To help ensure that the Gaza disengagement is a success, the United 
States will provide to the Palestinian Authority $50 million to be used 
for new housing and infrastructure projects in the Gaza. These funds 
will be used to improve the quality of life of the Palestinians living 
in Gaza, where poverty and unemployment are very high. I've also asked 
Secretary Rice to travel to Jerusalem and Ramallah before the beginning 
of the Israeli withdrawal. Secretary Rice 
will consult with Israelis and Palestinians on the disengagement, their 
shared commitments, and the way back on the roadmap.
     As we work to make the disengagement succeed, we must not lose 
sight of the path ahead. The United States remains committed to the 
roadmap as the only way to realize the vision of two democratic states 
living side by side in peace and security. It is through the roadmap 
that the parties can achieve a final permanent status agreement through 
direct negotiations.
     The people of the Middle East have endured a long period of 
challenge, and now we have reached a moment of hope. Leaders from around 
the world have made a moral commitment: We will not stand by as another 
generation in the Holy Land grows up in an atmosphere of violence and 
hopelessness. With concrete actions by the United States, the 
Palestinians, Israel, and other nations, we can transform this 
opportunity into real momentum.
     Mr. President, we will work with you to help realize the dream of a 
free and democratic Palestine, to bring greater freedom, security, and 
prosperity to all peoples in the region, and to achieve the lasting 
peace we all seek.
     Welcome back to the White House.
     President Abbas.  Thank you very much, Mr. President. I'd like to 
thank you for this warm welcome and express my view in order to 
strengthen the relationship between Palestine and the United States. The 
Palestinian people share with the American people the same values of 
peace, freedom, and democracy. We are confident that the two peoples 
will benefit from continuing and developing this relationship.

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     Today we have conducted very intensive and constructive discussions 
with you, Mr. President, and with your senior administration officials. 
We discussed ways to support the opportunities to revive and resume the 
peace process in the Middle East. These discussions afford us with the 
opportunity to emphasize the central and essential role played by you, 
Mr. President, and by your administration in supporting and advancing 
the peace process toward the realization of your vision of ending the 
Israeli occupation that started in 1967 and the establishment of a 
democratic, free, and independent Palestine to live side by side with 
the State of Israel, in order to create a better future for the peoples 
of the region. We have reiterated again to you, Mr. President, our 
strong commitment to the peace option, and through negotiations, we can 
achieve--the two sides can achieve their objectives.
     We also discussed the efforts that have been undertaken by the 
Palestinian Authority throughout the past few months to bring about 
calm. These efforts have brought about the reduction of violence to the 
lowest level in 4 years and once again reopened the window of hope for 
progress toward peace. We emphasized our determination to maintain and 
preserve this calm. The Palestinian Authority exerts a great deal of 
efforts in reforming our security organizations, and the truth is, our 
efforts are fully supported by our own people who repeatedly reaffirmed 
their commitment to peace and negotiations.
     In our talks, we also discussed the ongoing democratic process in 
Palestine. This process has successfully presented, through the 
Presidential elections and the local and municipal elections, that the 
Palestinians have succeeded in carrying out transparent and fair 
elections under very difficult circumstances, another example of the 
capability of our people and their ability to build an independent 
democratic state once we achieve our freedom and our independence.
     We expect that our people will be helped and supported to make 
their democratic experiment a successful one. We look forward to the 
free movement and the freedom of movement and the removal of Israeli 
roadblock and checkpoints and the Israeli withdrawal to positions prior 
to September 28th, 2000, and as well as implementing the various 
understanding that we have reached with the Israeli Government in Sharm 
al-Sheikh. We stress that democracy cannot flourish under occupation and 
in the absence of freedom.
     In this regard, we expressed our deep concern over the continuous 
Israeli settlement activities and the construction of the wall on our 
land, particularly in the area of Jerusalem. These settlement 
activities, in addition to undermining President Bush's vision in 
establishing a Palestinian and contiguous state, that it is a viable 
state that can live side by side by the State of Israel, also 
contributes to the feeling of frustration and despair and the loss of 
hope. Stopping this is one of the requirements of the roadmap. Time is 
becoming our greatest enemy. We should end this conflict before it is 
too late.
     We are extending our hands to the Israeli people in good intention. 
We are saying that peace and dialog and the recognition of the other 
side's rights is what will create a good neighborhood and achieve 
security and prosperity for our people and the peoples in the region.
     We have assured the President that the Palestinian Authority is 
ready to coordinate with the Israeli side in order to ensure the success 
of its withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank upon the Israeli 
evacuation. We see this evacuation as a part of ending the occupation, 
and it should not be at the expense of the West Bank. We must then 
immediately move to permanent status negotiations to deal with the 
issues of Al-Quds--East Jerusalem--as a capital of the future state of 
Palestine, the issues of refugees, settlements, borders, security, and 
water, on the basis of President Bush's

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vision and on the basis of U.N. resolutions and the basis of the Arab 
Initiative.
     It is time for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to end--right now. 
It is the time for our people, after many decades of suffering and 
dispossessions, to enjoy living in freedom and independence on their own 
land. And we should accelerate the freedom of our prisoners in order to 
be a part of peacemaking.
     Mr. President, we end our discussions in Washington, and we are 
more determined to move forward in the path of freedom, reform, and 
democracy. We depart Washington; we are more confident about the role 
that you will play and the role that your administration will play in 
order to move the process forward and achieve lasting peace.
     Mr. President, at the end, I would like to thank you very much for 
your hospitality and expressing the American--and demonstrating the 
American support to the Palestinian administration and the Palestinian 
people. We continue to look forward to work with you ahead in order to 
achieve our common objectives of peace, security, and democracy and 
freedom.
     Thank you very much, Mr. President.
     President Bush.  Good job, good job. Two questions a side, starting 
with Terry [Terence Hunt, Associated Press].

 Palestinian Democracy/Hamas

     Q.  Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, you just spoke about 
the rejection of terror. Are you satisfied that President Abbas is 
moving aggressively enough, doing everything he can to shut down terror 
groups? And do you think that he should, for example, close Hamas or 
remove from positions of power associates of Yasser Arafat?
     President Bush.  I believe that--and I know the President is 
committed to democracy. After all, he ran on a platform that said, 
``Vote for me. I'm for peace, and I believe in democracy.'' That's what 
he told the Palestinian people when he ran, and he won with 62 percent 
of the vote, I think it was. So in other words, he's committed. That's 
what he said he was going to do, and he's now fulfilling it.
     Our position on Hamas is very clear. It's a well-known position, 
and it hasn't changed about Hamas. Hamas is a terrorist group. It's on a 
terrorist list for a reason. As the elections go forward, of course, we 
want everybody to participate in the vote. There is something healthy 
about people campaigning, saying, ``This is what I'm for.'' The 
President ran on a peace platform. You know, maybe somebody will run on 
a war platform. You know, ``Vote for me. I promise violence.'' I don't 
think they're going to get elected, because I think Palestinian moms 
want their children to grow up in peace just like American moms want 
their children to grow up in peace. As a matter of fact, I think the 
people that campaign for peace will win.
     The goal of a--is, of course, a Palestinian state based upon rule 
of law, and you cannot have a democracy based upon rule of law if you 
have armed bands of people who will use their weapons to try to achieve 
a political outcome. We discussed this with the President. He can give 
you his own views. I will just tell you, he is--he believes strongly in 
democracy and understands that aspect of democracy.
     And so I'm--I think there's something healing about asking people 
to vote. And hopefully, as more people participate and more people see 
progress on the ground in terms of real, tangible benefits when it comes 
to democracy like being able to make a living or being able to send your 
child to a school that works or being able to get good quality health 
care, that more and more people will reject the notion that the only--a 
state based upon violence is a positive state.

 Israeli Settlements/Israeli Security Wall

     Q.  President Abbas, regarding settlements and the erection of the 
wall, are your positions before that you gave to your

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voters among the Palestinian public? And the question to President Bush, 
we heard your remarks. You talked about clear American position about 
the issue of settlements. But Israel continues to build settlements and 
continues to seize Palestinian territories. What is your position, Mr. 
President?
     President Bush.  Well, I told you what my position was. And it's 
exactly what I said when I was in Crawford, by the way, when Prime 
Minister Sharon was there as well. I mean, when 
you say you're going to accept the roadmap, you accept the roadmap, and 
part of the obligations of the roadmap is not the expansion of 
settlements. And we continue to remind our friends the Israelis about 
their obligations under the roadmap, just like we remind President Abbas 
about the obligations under the roadmap that the Palestinians have 
accepted. So nothing has changed.
     Adam [Adam Entous, Reuters], yes.
    Oh, I'm sorry. I beg your pardon.
     President Abbas.  The first one.
     President Bush. I beg your--sorry, yes. Just trying to cut you off. 
[Laughter] It's an old Rose Garden trick.
     President Abbas.  Regarding the issue of settlements and the wall, 
our position is very clear from the beginning. When we talk about two 
states, we are talking about a Palestinian state within the boundaries 
of 1967. That means that those boundaries, in our views, should go back 
to the Palestinian people. This is what the roadmap states, and this is 
what is in various U.N. Security Council resolutions.
     Also President Bush talked about ending the occupation that started 
in 1967. In our views, the wall--there is no justification for the wall, 
and it is illegitimate, as well as settlements. It is illegitimate and 
should not allow. We heard from the President that these activities 
should stop. I believe this is an important step in order to get to the 
permanent status negotiations. During the permanent status negotiations, 
we will put all these issues on the table. And we express our views that 
does not contradict international legitimacy.
     President Bush. Now Adam.

 Egyptian Presidential Elections

     Q.  Mr. President, President Bush, the First Lady, under the 
Egyptian pyramids this week, enthusiastically endorsed Mubarak's first 
steps towards direct Presidential elections. Two days later, Mubarak 
supporters attacked the opposition in the streets. Was it premature to 
back Mubarak? What's your message to Mubarak now?
     President Bush. I also embraced President Mubarak's first steps and said that those first steps must 
include people's ability to have access to TV and candidates ought to be 
allowed to run freely in an election and that there ought to be 
international monitors. That's--and the idea of people expressing 
themselves in opposition to the government and getting a beating, is not 
our view of how a democracy ought to work. It's not the way that you 
have free elections. People ought to be allowed to express themselves, 
and I'm hopeful that the President will have open elections that 
everybody can have trust in.
     Final question here. Oh, sorry. That's what happens when you don't 
get called on.

 Gaza/Palestinian Democracy

     Q.  To President Bush, Mr. President, Israel insists on controlling 
the Gaza airspace as well as the port, after its unilateral withdrawal. 
What practical steps are you prepared to take, sir, to deter Israel from 
doing so and ensuring that the Gaza disengagement remains an integral 
part of the roadmap?
     And to President Abbas, in the article that was published in the 
Wall Street Journal today, you emphasized the link between democracy and 
freedom. Do you feel concerned that the new Palestinian democracy could 
go back under the occupation and under the lack of freedom? Thank you.

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     President Bush. Actually, my answer kind of ties into the question 
you asked the President. You know, one of the things when you are in the 
position I'm in, I'm able to observe attitudes and opinions. And clearly 
there's a lot of mistrust, and you can understand why. There's been war, 
violence, bloodshed. The only way to achieve all the objectives is for 
there to be a democracy living side by side with a democracy. And the 
best way to see--to solve problems that seem insoluble now is for there 
to be a society which evolves based upon democratic principles.
     And so there's going to be a lot of issues that come up as this 
process evolves that are going to be difficult issues. But as more 
people trust each other, then those issues become easier to solve. And 
so one of my cautions to both sides in this very important problem is to 
make sure that we stay focused on getting things right initially, and 
what needs to happen is that Palestinians, with the world's help, fill 
the void created by the withdraw from Gaza with a society which is 
hopeful. And that means people can find work, and people can send their 
kids to school, the health care system functions well.
     I told the President, there's a lot of international help that will 
be available, particularly as his Government earns the trust of the 
donors. And the best way to earn the trust of the donors is to work to 
develop this--to take advantage of this opportunity and develop a state. 
Israel has obligations to help. You noticed, in my statement I said 
``help improve the humanitarian situation on the ground.'' And America 
wants to help.
     Now as a democracy evolves and people see that this is a Government 
fully capable of sustaining democratic institutions and adhering to rule 
of law and transparency and puts strong anticorruption devices in place, 
answers to the will of the people, that it becomes easier to deal with 
issues such as airspace. The West Bank will become an easier issue for 
everybody to meet obligations. We've got a fantastic opportunity now.
     When I--I told the President, there's no doubt in my mind we can 
succeed. President Abbas is a man of courage. Part of the success is 
going to require courageous decision by the President. And I take great 
faith in not only his personal character but the fact that he campaigned 
on a platform of peace. He said, ``Vote for me. I am for peace.'' And 
the Palestinians voted overwhelmingly to support him.
     And so there will be a series of issues that come up--you know, how 
do we deal with this issue, or how do you deal with that issue--all of 
which will become easier to deal with as the Government succeeds in 
Gaza. And the United States stands with the Government to help them 
succeed.
     President Abbas.  Thank you. Regarding the democracy and freedom, I 
am saying that when we have chosen democracy as a way of life, this was 
not an adventure. This was a determination and a strategy that democracy 
is the only way to move forward and for life among different nations. 
But democracy is like a coin; it has two sides. On one side it's 
democracy; on the other side of the coin is freedom.
     It's true, now we lack freedom, and we are in dire need to have 
freedom. We do not live in freedom in our homeland. This will weaken the 
hope to continue this democracy and will weaken the democratic march. 
But we will not go back. Our strategy is clear, and we are determined to 
achieve our freedom in order to complete and achieve both sides of the 
coin, and we can live a normal life.

  Note:  The President's news conference began at 11:31 a.m. in the Rose 
Garden at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Lt. Gen. 
William E. Ward, USA, Senior U.S. Security Coordinator, Department of 
State; outgoing World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn, Special Envoy 
for Gaza Disengagement; Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel; and 
President Hosni Mubarak of

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Egypt. President Abbas spoke in Arabic, and his remarks were translated 
by an interpreter.